Midnight Sun
by sktrgrl13
Summary: In a world consumed by war, everyone is always hoping for the light to win against the dark...but what happens when the saviour doesn't know he has to save the world to begin with? (Ratings may change!) NatRay!
1. Chapter 1 - And So It Began

**Disclaimer: Mashima-sensei owns Fairy Tail! :)**

**Warnings: Implied Violence, Hatred, Paving the Road to Shounen-ai/Yaoi**

A man cloaked in black hid amongst the shadows as three children cowered in fear before him. A young girl around the age of six stood behind two boys as they tried to protect her from the intruder. Even though all three of them were needed to make the prophecy, her input would be the strongest seeing as she saw into the future. Her platinum blonde hair hung in her deep brown eyes as she tried not to make eye contact with the _demon_ standing before them. The boy with blue hair standing to the left of her was quivering; it was so bad that she swore that she could hear his boney knees knocking together. The older boy on her right was glaring darkly at the man in the shadows; his onyx eyes promising to incinerate him where he stood.

"You are going to tell me what I want to know," The shadow stated stoically, "Otherwise, things might not work out in your favour."

The dark haired boy growled menacingly,

"When dealing with you, nothing will work in anyone's favour."

The man in black chuckled and moved out of the shadows; his face still obscured by the hood that hung on head. If the blonde looked hard enough, she could see his demon red eyes glistening brightly. This demon was not one to be trifled with; he was almost as terrifying as the king of demons himself…though it seems impossible due to him being the mate of the great dark dragon. There was only one being in the world that would be able to stop him and that's exactly why he had turned up; he wanted to know _who _held that power.

"That could very well be true," He conceded, "But would you rather your loved ones lived for a possible fifty more years or for merely six months or maybe even one."

Her heart thumped in her chest and tears prickled in her eyes; she didn't want to lose her family. As she stared at her brothers she could see that they were as frightened as she was. However she didn't expect her middle brother to take a step towards the shadow (despite his shakiness) and glower at the devil as if he was ten times bigger than his stature truly was.

"Don't underestimate our kind!" He cried, "Were better and stronger than you'll ever be; we all have something that you don't have!"

The demon tilted his head to the side,

"I know; I don't have the power to foresee what is come to pass, but you three do. Now, if you don't tell me what I want to know not only will your homeland and your kind fall, but so will countless innocents and the young newborns of the Dragon Clan that you have been sworn to protect."

The older boy hissed,

"You wouldn't dare."

"Are you, Child of the Past, willing to make that wager?" His teeth shone maliciously in the light of the full moon, "How about you Child of the Present and Future, are you brave enough to cast that bet?"

The blonde girl's eyes widened incredulously as the memory of a young dragonlings with dark blue hair flashed through her mind's eye. Just by looking at her brothers, she could tell that they were thinking about the safety of their dragonlings as well; especially since theirs had only come of age recently. And the others in her village…she couldn't risk them losing their partners or their lives…

"Fine," She whispered; her voice firm and crisp, "We'll do as you ask; though the answer has been in front of your eyes for millennia."

The blue haired boy stared at her with wide eyes,

"Carla, what are you doing?!"

Her fists clenched at her sides,

"I'm doing what I can Happy! There's nothing else that we can do now; we can't let them die!"

Happy jumped at the conviction in his sister's voice; he had never heard her sound so passionate in his entire existence. Carla turned her attention over to their oldest brother Pantherlily who simply grunted in neither agreement or otherwise. The aura around the man cloaked in black shifted as victory seemed to be within his grasp. Carla took a deep breath and centered herself as her brothers joined hands with her and then with each other. As soon as their skin touch a magic circle appeared under their feet and a rainbow like shield engulfed them. The demon waited impatiently as Pantherlily was the first to speak…

_Darkness shall invoke the Call  
Causing all, but one, to Fall_…

The demon scowled at the thought of his darkness failing to kill all but one person. His power was infinite and unbeatable; the power of death could not be overcome. No one would be able to defeat the combined might of the king of Dragons and himself. That prediction had to be flawed…no one had the power to defeat him! Unless…**the demon slayers**…

_Two Clans must unite as One  
Joining the power of Ice and Sun…_

As the words left Happy's mouth he was certain as to who his enemy would be. He should've known that part of the Demon Slayer line had managed to survive; but now he was feeling fairly confident. There was a reason why elements were separate; it was impossible to join the power of Ice and Sun; something as polar opposite as those two was bound to end in failure.

_Bound by Blood or Bound by Pain  
He shall bring the Light again._

The light disappeared as the final words left Carla's mouth. As the Fates escaped the protection of their shield, hatred and anger slammed into them like a brick wall. Carla held onto her brothers' hands tightly as fear started to course through her body. She knew that the demon was infuriated by the last line of the prophecy; she knew it as soon as she said the words and the smirk fell off his face.

"That can't be right." He hissed gutturally, "I will **not** be defeated by some pathetic, non-existent bloodline."

Pantherlily smiled tauntingly,

"You didn't think they were so non-existent until you heard of your inevitable demise."

The demon rounded on him; his red eyes blazing like the fires of Hell,

"I'd watch your tongue Child of the Past; you might regret it one day."

The onyx eyed boy chuckled,

"I don't regret anything other than standing here beside you as you threaten our home."

The man in black looked as if he was going to strike out at her older brother. She was about to pull Pantherlily away when Happy held her hand tightly and shook his head 'no'. However, she could tell that he wasn't telling her that because he was afraid; he was telling her that because if she as so much as moved a finger the demon would attack them all.

"I will find that **thing **mentioned in the prophecy and I will destroy it." He spat, "The only thing capable of beating me is the Demon Slayer clan and luckily for me, there is only one more Demon Slayer left in the world."

The Fates frowned as dark mist started to collect around the demon; in moments, the shadows swallowed their foe. Carla stared at the empty space that now stood before them; a strangle sob escaping her lips. She felt Happy's arm wrap around her shoulders comfortingly as Pantherlily mirrored him on the other side. She felt tears well in her eyes as pure white wings sprouted out of her back; it was about time that they went home.

"We need to warn him," Carla stated stoically, "and protect him in any way we can."

Pantherlily nodded,

"The boy will be on a road of hardship; most of which he has to be alone. We have to watch out for him and insure he stays alive."

Before they were about to take to the sky, Happy smiled brightly. She looked at him in confusion; had he not been present when Zeref threatened the existence of the last family of Demon Slayers? Lily seemed to have the same thoughts as her, but they didn't have to wait long for Happy to spill the beans.

"I know the perfect demons to protect him!" He cheered, "Who better to do so than the only race strong enough to stand up to Zeref!"

FTFTFTFT

He held his sleeping boy close to his chest as he walked through the thick brush of forest. The boy's pale face was pressed into the crook of his neck and he was pretty sure he could feel some drool on his collarbone. Silver sighed and tried to ignore the wet feeling instead focusing on where he was going. This was going against everything he was ever taught, but he had to do this; not only for the entire world, but so his little boy could have a long and healthy life. A sharp pang shot through his chest at the thought; he only wished that he would be able to watch him grow up.

Silver heard them before he saw them; although if he thought back on it, he would remember seeing the smoke rising into the air. Cheers and roars echoed throughout the night air as the chill failed to bite at his skin. As he stepped into the fire filled clearing, the sounds of celebration immediately came to a stop; slit eyes glaring at him in apprehension. He watched as the younger dragonlings were hidden by their parents; if he were in their position he would be doing the same. He felt his son shift in his arms, most likely feeling the oppressive auras of the strongest demons in the world; his slaying powers weren't going to take long to awaken.

"Demon Slayer," A deep voice resounded through the clearing, "What brings you to my domain? The treaty between our kinds has not been breached nor will it ever be breached."

Silver nodded; his blue eyes narrowing,

"I am aware of that Igneel, but you'll find that we have more pressing matters to deal with."

A large red dragon shifted nearby; his golden eyes blazing dangerously. Silver raised an eyebrow expectantly as Igneel was swallowed by fire only to reveal a tall, tanned skinned man with fiery red hair and sharp eyes glaring at him when the flames managed to finally dissipate. The red head approached him purposefully and stopped in front of the demon slayer so that they were only a meter apart. Silver watched the Dragon King cautiously as his golden eyes fell upon the boy who was sleeping in his arms.

"Who is this young one?" Igneel inquired curiously, "He smells of your blood Demon Slayer."

Silver rolled his eyes,

"That's because he's my son; I thought that would be pretty obvious for someone like yourself."

The dragon seemed to look the boy over before looking back at his clan once more. The dragons were still weary, but some had decided to shift into their human forms as well. However, the one that caught his eye was the pink haired dragonling who stood near the fire; it was clear that he was the offspring of Igneel. Noticing his stare, Igneel cleared his throat…

"Why have you brought him here Silver Fullbuster?" He demanded, "There has to be a reason why you'd risk his health during this time of night."

Silver bristled and glared at the dragon,

"You're right and I regret doing it, but this holds precedence over anything. Zeref is back and is once again threatening the world…"

Igneel scoffed,

"Then do your job as a demon slayer and kill him; it's **your** destiny."

"I would want nothing more than to end it," He growled, "But it's not my destiny, the Exceeds revealed that I'm to die by Zeref's hand on my son's sixth birthday."

All the sound that had once lingered around the clearing had completely died; the roaring fire even seemed to have dimmed. Silver stared resolutely away from Igneel's piercing golden eyes as the dragon stared at him in disbelief. He could almost imagine going back to the Hunter Clan and telling them all that he made the Dragon King speechless; that was sure to cause a riot. Igneel opened his mouth as if to say something only to pause when the boy in Silver's arms decided to wake up.

The boy's raven head lifted from his father's shoulder and looked around him sleepily. Igneel couldn't believe the power he sensed within the boy and even at such a young age. The dragon shifted his gaze back to Silver and he knew that the Demon Slayer was aware that his son was bound to surpass him. It wasn't long before the boy's frosty, deep blue eyes landed on his golden ones; instead of fear, curiosity seemed to fill his gaze. Igneel looked to Silver for permission to speak to the boy and the demon slayer faintly nodded.

"Good Evening there young one," Igneel smiled, "Did you have a pleasant rest?"

The boy tilted his head to the side; his thumb in his mouth,

"Yeah…"

The Dragon King chuckled lightly,

"That's good. May I ask your name?"

The smaller raven furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, but answered the dragon anyway.

"Gray."

"What a handsome name," Igneel winked at the boy, "Gray, do you want to play?"

A smile immediately spread across the boy's face as he nodded his head enthusiastically. Silver frowned at the Dragon King, but he quickly relaxed when he realized that Igneel was trying to get Gray away from them so that they could have their conversation. Igneel turned towards his people and called out a name to the crowd and for some reason, he wasn't surprised when he saw the pink haired boy he noticed by the fire running to them. The boy skid to a stop in front of them and Silver noticed that the dragonling had to be nineteen or close too it (well in human years anyway) which meant that he had just recently come of age.

"Now Gray," Igneel addressed the small raven, "This is my son Natsu; he'll gladly play with you while I speak with your Papa. Is that alright with you?"

The small raven nodded enthusiastically as Silver lowered him to the ground; the demon slayer never took his eyes of the dragonling as the pinkette smiled at Gray softly. Despite the unease he had, he almost wanted to laugh at the fact that with his son being three, he only came up to the dragonling's lower thigh. Instead of looking put out at the fact that he had to watch a baby (a slayer no less), the pink haired boy seemed excited and up for the task. As Natsu reached out to take Gray's hand and lead him towards the other dragons, Silver's eyes widened when the tell-tale scales of a dragon sprouted across his skin even though he was currently in his human form.

"I thought that would happen."

Silver's eyes narrowed as he turned to Igneel darkly,

"**What **did you think would happen?"

Igneel clicked his tongue playfully before putting a reassuring hand on the Demon Slayer's shoulder,

"Gray will be completely safe if you have to leave him; Natsu will watch over him for the rest of his life."

Silver's eyes wandered to his son as Natsu called a flame to his hand,

"What do you mean?"

Something seemed to flash in Igneel's golden eyes,

"Let's just say Natsu has been waiting for him for a very long time."

TBC

**OMG guys, I'm terrible :( Here I am with three stories on the go and I just go and add another one -.- But honestly, I've been planning this one since we first learned about Silver, but didn't want to post it before we knew who exactly Silver was to Gray (though I of course had my suspicions). Now I know you guys want a new chapter for "As Time Goes On" (which I have started writing btw) and my other stories, but I'm having some issues with those ones please bear with me! Other than that, I hope you enjoy this prologue and don't be too harsh! Waiting for you reviews! :)**

**-sktrgrl**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Betrayal

**Disclaimer: Mashima-sensei owns Fairy Tail minna! :)**

**Warnings: Violence, Implied Character Deaths, Blood, Language**

Silver sat on the porch, his eyes lingering on the brightening skyline as pinks and oranges started to overcome the indigo blue of the horizon. The stars had long since disappeared along with his easiness and calm; the day had finally come. It was hard to believe that it has already been three years since he had approached the Dragon Clan in order to ask them to protect his son from his inevitable fate. Of course, he wasn't expecting the young Dragon prince to imprint on Gray, but now that it has happened he couldn't be more grateful. Now he knew he could leave this world and his son would have protection from the strongest clan of the three races.

"Silver."

The raven haired man managed to suppress a jump as he turned towards the crisp voice of his childhood friend and partner. Ur Milkovich was leaning casually against the post at the top of the stairs; her arms folded across her chest. Silver felt the need to laugh at her stern expression, even though she portrayed the mask of nonchalance, he could tell that she was just as tense as he was. He ran his hand through his hair nervously; he should've known that she would be showing up sooner or later. He sighed, at least that meant he wouldn't have to hunt her down later.

"Ur," He smirked at her, "Good to see you; how are your kids doing?"

The raven haired woman rolled her eyes,

"Let's skip the pleasantries Silver, do you have any idea what day it is?"

The demon slayer stared at the slightly frozen floorboards of his deck and decided not to answer; even if he didn't say anything, she would know. He could feel her brown eyes burning into the top of his skull and he was sure that she wasn't quite through with him yet. He heard her sigh loudly before she walked across the porch and sat down in the wicker chair that resided beside him.

"Does Mika know?" She demanded, "I swear if you didn't tell her you'll have more than Zeref to worry about."

Silver scratched his chin and stared at Ur out of the corner of his eye,

"She knows enough; I'm not risking the chance that she'll be pulled into this."

Ur slammed her fist onto the wicker arm rest,

"What are you thinking?! You're going to die! Doesn't she deserve to know that?!"

He clenched his hands into tight fists as he pushed himself out of his chair and wandered over to the wooden railing that encircled the porch. He leaned against the plywood and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep silent this time; Ur wouldn't be able to accept it if he wasn't able to give her an answer. After all, if it weren't for her, he would never had met Mika and had Gray; and he knew that without a doubt, he wouldn't have survived as long as he had being what and who he was without them.

"Of course she does," He hissed, "But Gray is already losing a father, I will not let him lose his mother as well; what would you do if you were in my situation?"

Silence surrounded them; the only sound was the harsh, late autumn wind as its cold touches caressed the frost covered ground. He didn't think she was going to say anything until her slightly calloused pale hand landed on his shoulder. Even when they disagreed, he could always count on her to make him feel better. She was his emotional rock; he helped him with things that he wasn't able to share with Mika…after all, his wife was a 'null', she was completely human and had next to no knowledge about the demon world or the war that was happening at their doorstep.

"Don't get me wrong Silver," She whispered, "I want Mika to live in the dark as much as you do and I want her to be around for Gray; we both know how much he'll need her in the future, but the Exceeds also told us the prophecy of your death…of both your deaths."

The demon slayer pounded his fist onto the fine wood causing shards of ice to erupt in its wake,

"I won't let that happen! I will not let her die; I refuse to leave Gray alone like that and I refuse to let my duty take her life."

Ur's hand trailed up from his shoulder and rubbed the back of his neck rhythmically,

"Your son won't be alone; he has people who will keep him safe."

Silver scoffed loudly,

"And for how long? Don't forget Ur, you have a prophecy hanging over your head as well."

She smiled sadly and let her hand fall limply to her side. She walked over to the railing herself and folded her arms across the wooden plank. The both of them watched as the first rays of sunlight started to touch the snow covered ground making the white particles shine like diamonds.

"What about the Dragon prince?" She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, "That clan is practically immortal; they only age if they wish and you mentioned that the prince imprinted on Gray didn't you?"

Silver smiled sardonically,

"A prophecy lies over their heads as well…and it seems that they will be separated for a long time before they can finally meet again."

Ur laughed hollowly,

"It's amazing how our lives are controlled by prophecy; it's almost as if we don't have free will at all."

Silver shrugged his shoulders vaguely and narrowed his deep blue eyes onto the horizon. Most of their lives seemed to be controlled by the higher powers; it was almost as if they were mindless drones who only listened to the will of their master. However, he knew that if Zeref were to finally end this never ending war, it would be an eternity of slavery for both the living and the dead. If he had to give his life in order to set the path to salvation he was willing to do it…

"Papa?"

The demon slayer automatically turned his head to the now open doorway only to see Gray standing there tiredly with his blanket clutched tightly in his hand. His large, droopy eyes seemed more pronounced with the lingering touches of sleep trying to pull his eyes back closed. Silver smiled at his son brightly before walking towards him and lifting him up in his arms. The small raven immediately wrapped his arms around his dad's neck and buried his face into his throat.

"What are you doing up already little one?" He whispered playfully.

"I couldn't sleep anymore; I wasn't tired." He yawned loudly, "Who's she?"

Silver chuckled under his breath as he carried his son over to his childhood friend,

"This is your Aunty Ur; the last time you would've seen her you would've been a baby."

Gray tilted his head to the side and stared at her cautiously. Silver had to hide a laugh as a cough when he took in Ur's surprised expression on her face. She hadn't seen Gray since he was a baby in the hospital; between missions for the Hunter Clan and her own little ones she hadn't had the time to get to know her godson.

"Hi there," She greeted, "You don't need to be so scared; I'm not going to hurt you."

"I'm not scared," Gray pouted, "I'm not scared of nothing."

Ur chuckled and ruffled the boy's raven hair affectionately,

"Even the monsters under your bed?"

Gray flinched and looked away from Ur as he bit his lip. Silver smiled fondly at his son; his boy wasn't scared of much, but when it came to the 'monsters' under his bed it was an entirely different story. Silver rubbed his back soothingly before placing his son on the floor. Gray clung to his pant leg and stared up at him with wide eyes.

"Why don't you go get ready for the day," He whispered, "Mama will be up soon and then all four of us can sit down and have your birthday breakfast, yeah?"

A bright smile overtook the small raven's face and he nodded his head enthusiastically,

"'Kay! Is 'Tsu coming for breakfast?"

Silver smiled softly,

"Not today, but his dad said that he'll be here for supper."

Gray frowned for a moment at the thought, but he nodded his head nonetheless and ran back inside; his feet pattering against the hardwood floor as he moved. Silver's eyes followed his son's frame until he disappeared around the corner. He turned towards his friend and saw the soft smile on her face.

"Shit," He whispered, "I guess you can't stay for breakfast can you? Who's watching over your kids?"

"Rob and Gildarts are watching over them," She shrugged, "Gildarts ended up staying the night on the couch after our poker night went too long and he passed out, while Rob said he would watch all three of them this morning since he knew that I would want to come here bright and early to talk to you."

"So is that a yes to breakfast?" He raised an eyebrow curiously.

She touched his elbow comfortingly,

"I'll stay as long as you need me; after all, what are sisters for?"

He smiled and nodded at her as she turned and made her way into the house. Silver remained outside for a moment longer and watched as the sun completely breached the horizon; finally invoking the start of the end of his life.

FTFTFTFT

Natsu stood outside as the sun started to rise into the sky. As the son of the great fire dragon Igneel, he rose when the sun did along with his father. Of course, his dad usually disappeared before the sun would poke its way into the early morning sky so he could start the ritual of protection. Usually, Natsu could lounge around in bed for a few more hours, but today he found that he couldn't. He knew that something was going to happen today and he knew that it wasn't going to be good; his father had been getting tense for days now and it has only gotten worse.

The dragonling was pulled out of his musings as something seemed to blossom in his chest. He smiled faintly as he realized that his Chosen had woken up from his slumber. He never thought he would meet his soul mate so soon after coming of age; for most dragons it took years, maybe even millennia, but Gray was there on the very day he entered 'adulthood'. Of course part of him wished that his Chosen was a little older (or a lot older) than he was, but he was going to be around throughout Gray's life be it brother, best friend and then finally (hopefully) lover.

"Oi Natsu, stop thinking so hard," A gruff voice called out, "You might burn off the rest of your brain cells."

"Oh shut your mouth metal head," He growled as he turned towards his 'brother', "Don't you have anything better to do than piss me off?"

The son of the metal dragon demon Metalicana guffawed loudly as he approached the fire dragon demon. Natsu scowled as Gajeel's sharp red eyes seemed to scan over him like an experiment and a smirk appeared on his face.

"What's got you in such a bad mood?" He laughed, "Shouldn't you be happy? It's the squirt's birthday isn't it?"

Natsu ran his hand through his pink hair,

"Yeah it is, but I feel like something is going to happen."

Gajeel's eyes narrowed as all teasing left his face,

"What kind of _feeling_ are we talking about? The good kind or the 'world is going to shit' kind?"

The fire dragon threw his hands up in the air,

"That's the problem; I have no clue and it's driving me absolutely crazy!"

Natsu sighed and paced around their forest encampment; this entire thing was just frustrating. He was about to set a nearby tree aflame when he felt Gajeel's hand grab onto his forearm. He turned to face his 'brother' and he immediately noticed the tenseness that resided in the older raven's frame.

"Have you talked to your dad about it?" He demanded.

Natsu frowned and yanked his arm out of the metal dragon's grip,

"I would if I knew where the hell he disappeared to."

Whatever was bothering his father for the past couple days was enough to ensure that he remained removed from the rest of the clan. Natsu didn't know what it was, but even that behaviour made him uneasy. His fingers were twitching restlessly at his side as he broadened his senses in an attempt to locate his father. However, as he scanned the clearing he found it strangely devoid of the Guardian Dragons; it was as if the only ones left in the village were the dragonlings…even the dragonlings who were too young yet to be left alone were without their parental figures.

"Gajeel," He whispered tensely, "When was the last time you saw Metalicana?"

The red eyed dragonling shifted warily,

"Sometime this morning; a little after the sun rose I believe…what are you thinking about flame head?"

Natsu tilted his head worriedly,

"I can't sense the Guardians or my father; it's as if they completely disappeared."

Gajeel frowned at him in disbelief before closing his eyes. The heir knew that the older was scanning the encampment for anything that he may have overlooked. After a few moments, the iron dragon demon's eyes opened slowly; confusion and hurt shining in his fiery orbs. Without saying a word he turned his back on Natsu and started to make his way to the forest line.

"Oi metal brain!" Natsu hollered anxiously, "Where the hell are you going?!"

"I'm going to go round up Laxus, Erik, Sting and Rogue," He answered tersely, "You on the other hand have to head to the squirt's house and warn the demon slayer that something is happening and it's not good."

"But…our parents…"

Gajeel froze in his footsteps,

"For whatever reason, they aren't here which leaves you in charge. You said something big is coming and despite your lack of intelligence I do trust your instinct; you need to be able to protect Gray at any cost. I'll bring the others over when I find them; we need to be prepared."

Natsu clenched his jaw so hard that he thought his teeth were going to crack; he didn't like the idea of splitting up at all, but it was the only thing they had right now. He nodded his head tightly before turning his back on his brother. The pinkette gathered his magic inside him and allowed it overflow; the flames immediately swallowed his body. As soon as the heat left his newly formed scales, Natsu flapped his large wings and took to the sky. He was faintly aware of Gajeel doing the same behind him; it was the fastest mode of travel after all.

He focused on letting his wings rip through the air as he shot above the trees; it seemed that with every flap of his wings, the lower the sun would sink in the sky. He really hated how far Gray's village was from the clearing; it made visiting him difficult. And considering the dilemma he has currently found himself in, he really wished that there was some short cut that he could take. He was about to fly into the barren icy landscape of the tundra when a familiar scent reached his nostrils. Natsu immediately glanced down and noticed a shock of auburn hair; judging by the scent it could only be Erik. Without a moment's hesitation, Natsu dove from the sky and shot like a rocket towards the ground. Before his snout was a hair away from the snow, he leveled himself out and allowed his flames to consume him once more; his human body taking the dragon's place.

"Erik," Natsu addressed the poison dragon demon, "Gajeel and I were looking for you."

The red head was silent for a moment before he turned to face the heir,

"I heard you."

The pinkette's eyes narrowed cautiously; something about his 'brother' didn't feel right and he knew that a large part of it was because Erik _never_ used his unique gift on members of their clan. Natsu sniffed the air around him and instantly put himself in a defensive pose causing a smirk to spread across Erik's lips.

"Erik," Natsu growled warningly, "What did you do?"

The poison dragon demon's onyx eyes shone brilliantly,

"I've done a lot of things, but I have to say that the one I am most proud of so happened to occur today."

Natsu was prepared to charge the red head when he suddenly held up his hand,

"You should be careful your _highness_, you wouldn't want to leave itty bitty Gray to his death do you?"

The fire dragon demon's eyes sparked dangerously,

"Don't you dare threaten him."

Before he was even able to finish the sentence, Erik had started laughing; his dulcet tones echoing throughout the bitter air. Natsu gathered his power within him prepared to fight his brother only to freeze in his tracks once more. Erik tilted his head to the side and stared at Natsu as if he was nothing more than the dirt that was stuck to his shoes.

"I don't have to threaten him," Erik smirked, "For it has already been written…_At the six year mark the Dragons will be Betrayed by one of their own, and the Dark One shall ascend the throne; One snow covered village will be the stage, to be consumed by the Monster's rage; The Protector of Ice shall finally fall, bringing with him the end of them all_."

It felt as if every corner of his core was doused in water. His airways seemed clog as realization started to set in. All the sad and longing looks that Silver had as the years went on and the silent worrying of his father; the six year mark was today…today, Gray was turning six years old. Newfound rage burned inside him as he glared hatefully at his brother; the dragonling who was christened on the exact year as himself.

"Erik," Natsu hissed as flames sprung to his hands, "How could you?! H-He's my Chosen…and we…we're your family!"

Dark laughter escaped his lips,

"And that my dear Prince is why it's called betrayal. But now that you know the truth, I can't allow you to leave alive; I can't have you running off to warn _the demon slayer_ now do I?"

Natsu felt his belly swell as he prepared himself for a roar. Just as the flames left his lips, he was able to catch Erik's next words…

"And from now on you can call me Cobra; you should know the name of your killer."

FTFTFTFT

Silver watched his son as the small raven sat in front of the panoramic window; his warm breath fogging the chilly glass. He noted that the sun was sinking lower and lower; it had well passed supper time and Natsu had yet to make an appearance. Gray had refused to touch his plate until Natsu had arrived and with his genetically given stubbornness, it was obvious that no matter how much Mika or himself tried they would not be able to get Gray to have one bite of his dinner. The demon slayer frowned, if that pink haired idiot ever did show up he was going to kick his ass for making his baby boy sad.

He was pulled out of his borderline murderous thoughts by thin arms wrapping around his neck. He placed one of his hands on Mika's right forearm and rubbed it soothingly. Silver smiled softly as she pressed her lips to his temple. She slowly released him and wandered over to the seat across from him and sat down. She set her elbows on the table and laid her head in her hand; Silver gulped, he knew that look. It meant that she wanted to talk…and said topic might very well result in a very brutal smack down from his wife.

"Silver," She frowned, "Natsu's never been late before, early yes, but never late; I'm worried."

The dark haired man tensed slightly,

"He probably got held up is all; he is a teenager."

Mika was contemplative for a moment; her honey brown eyes shining with curiosity and mischief. She played with the ends of her long raven hair thoughtfully before looking her husband in the eyes. Okay, now he knew that his wife was up to something. Mika stretched her hand across the table and placed her small hand on top of his own. She rubbed her fingers along his knuckles and looked at him imploringly.

"I know," She smiled sadly, "I know everything."

Silver's heart stopped,

"Y-You what?"

"I knew something was different about you Silver; you seemed so otherworldly. I thought it was my imagination until Gray was born…he had the same otherworldliness as you did and then when Natsu came into our lives; c'mon you wouldn't think I'd find it strange that he doesn't age and that he's creepily emotionally invested in my six year old." She rambled, "So, well, I talked to Makarov…"

Silver pulled his hand away from Mika's and buried his face in his hands. The very thing he didn't want to happen had happened. He laughed brokenly before raising his head to look at his beautiful wife. Mika had tears in her eyes, but she was still smiling at him. That's when he knew that she knew about the prophecy as well.

"Mika," He whispered, "When the time comes, I need you and Gray to run away from here as fast as you can; do you understand me?"

She opened her mouth to respond only to be cut off by their son's enthusiastic shouts,

"'Tsu is here, 'Tsu is here!"

Neither of them had the chance to blink before Gray had hopped off his seat by the window sill and threw open the front door. Suddenly the smell of death reached his nose and caused him to immediately shoot out of his seat. He heard Mika doing the same, but he was focused solely on the scent that had filtered into his house. When he reached the doorway, Natsu was kneeling in the snow, his body almost contorted into an unshapely ball…that's when he noticed the smell was coming from Natsu.

With a burst of speed that instantly caught up with Gray's little legs, Silver overtook his son and acted as a barrier; causing the small raven to run directly into his arms. Gray started to kick him repeatedly for halting his mad dash for the dragon prince, but he effectively ignored. He quickly handed Gray to Mika who had just caught up.

"Go get Porlyusica," He ordered, "And make sure she hurries."

Something in his eyes made her pale and she immediately listened to him; she started towards the village, Gray kicking and screaming for Natsu the entire way. Silver returned his attention to the fallen Dragon Demon and ran over to his fallen figure. He reached out to touch his quaking shoulder only to have Natsu flinch away from him.

"Don't touch me," He hissed brokenly, "The poison will spread to you too."

Silver's eyebrows furrowed,

"Poison?"

Natsu looked up at him; his amber-flecked green eyes were surrounded by dark circles. His normally golden tanned skin was as pale as the snow that lay around them. He knew that if he didn't do something soon, the Dragon Prince wouldn't survive long enough for Porlyusica to save him. He could not let Natsu die; not only did he owe Igneel, but Gray would be broken for the rest of his life…a part of his soul torn from him. He summoned his ice magic and concentrated a portion of his demon slaying magic into the sheet of ice; enough to curb the poison, but not enough to kill the dragon demon faster.

"Who did this to you?" He demanded.

Natsu winced,

"Erik…Erik betrayed the clan; the prophecy is coming true."

Silver frowned,

"Where's your father? Couldn't he fight him?"

The pinkette's fists clenched tightly and the dark haired male had a feeling that it wasn't because of the pain. Natsu stared at him evenly; worry and fear evident in his steely gaze. He relaxed his hands and closed his eyes,

"Igneel, Metalicana and the other Guardian Dragons have all disappeared; we couldn't sense them anywhere…it was as if they had never existed."

_Zeref and Acnologia…_

He didn't voice it to the hurt Dragon Demon, but he knew deep in his gut that they were responsible for the Guardians' disappearances. He was about to ask the young heir more questions when a ferocious roar sounded in the direction of the village followed immediately by an explosion. Silver looked toward the village to see what the hell was going on only to see a demon that had to be close to fifty feet tall and he was positive he could sense Zeref's Living Magic surrounding it; he smirked, it made it virtually unbeatable.

"Don't…Don't go."

He turned and found himself looking into desperate green eyes,

"Gray will need you…your wife…if you go all of them will die and Gray will be left all alone."

"I…" Silver sighed and pressed his hand on pink hair soothingly, "I have to protect as much people as I can; my clan is fighting so I have to help them protect those who cannot protect themselves."

"But…"

Silver shushed him calmingly,

"Gray will always have you Natsu, son of Igneel and with that knowledge, I know I can die peacefully."

Before Natsu could argue with him any further he dashed towards the smoldering inferno that used to be his town. He had left Natsu solely for the fact that the other members of his clan were coming to his aid. As he entered the chaos filled streets, he only regretted one thing…

Gray would have to watch both his mother and his father die.

TBC

**Hey minna! :D Here's a new update for ya! Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to make this part just right, hopefully it isn't too horrible. I still can't believe I wrote this…sigh…I hope you like the whole betrayal thing lol it was difficult for me to choose a rogue dragon demon (here's a punny moment for ya: I was gonna chose Rogue for the bad guy because of Future! Rogue in the Manga/Anime but decided against it 'cause he wouldn't have the same motivation since Frosch is still alive in this). Waiting on your reviews :)**

**-sktrgrl**

**PS. Okay… so before finishing this chapter I watched episode 196 of Fairy Tail…hell I knew it was coming but I still bawled like a baby when Gray took the fall for Juvia :'( and congrats to all of you who said it was Lyon who called out Gray's name…yup, added more to their bromance and broke my heart even more! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

**I also want to say thanks to all 14 of you lovely reviewers and I want to apologize for making you all wait so long! :) Thanks to those who followed and favourited as well; you guys are awesome!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Even the Future Can Crumble

**Disclaimer: Mashima-sensei owns the glorious world known as Fairy Tail!**

**Warnings: Language, Time Skip (majorly), Bro-Angst, General Angst and Violence**

_**Thirteen Years Later…**_

He stared out of the wide, panoramic window; his chin resting on the palm of his hand as he watched the clouds move lethargically through the overcast sky. He could hear the monotonous droning of his professor in the back of his mind; he really, really didn't want to be there. Normally, he would at least _act_ like he was listening, but today he couldn't find himself caring. Hell, half the time, he didn't even know why he decided to go to university. Part of him thought that he went because he didn't want to disrespect Ur and everything that she had done for him while another part of him thought that he went just to spite his older brother; after all, Lyon told him point-blank that he didn't want him to continue his education.

Gray sighed loudly and closed his eyes; he really didn't understand his family. Not only had his older sister disappeared out of their lives five years ago without a goodbye, Lyon had essentially severed him out of his life, leaving him to fend for himself the last three years. Gray lowered his hand from his head and formed it into a tight fist on his desk. He wouldn't say it out loud or anything, but his heart _hurt _every time he thought about his brother abandoning him. The raven knew that a lot of the reason why Lyon disappeared all those years ago (and possibly even Ultear as well) was because his brother blamed him for the death of Ur, their mother.

The funny thing was, Gray believed that Lyon had a right to hate him.

He didn't remember much about that night; it was as if areas of his memory were missing. He knew enough to know that Ur wasn't actually his mother even though he had taken to calling her as such. Sometimes he was able to remember what his real parents sounded like, but he could never remember what they looked like. The year that Ur died, she had told him that he was ready to hear the truth; whatever that meant. In the back of his mind, he could hear a deep, soothing voice telling him that she was his Aunty Ur and he had a feeling that the voice belonged to his father; the man that he couldn't remember.

He wished that he could remember his birth parents; Ur never really told him what happened to them. In fact, the first memory that he had of Ur was her, Ultear and Lyon finding him in some rubble; it was hazy and he wasn't even sure if it actually happened, but it was the closest thing he had to his real mom and dad. With Ur dead, now all he had was questions and no one was around to answer him. The one time Gray had voiced his questions was three years ago when he and Lyon had that argument. He was asking his silver haired brother if he remembered an older boy with pink hair and green eyes; it had all escalated from there and ended with the slamming of a door and Lyon's retreating back.

"Gray? Helloooo, Earthland to Gray!"

The raven jumped in his seat and out of his swirling thoughts. His deep blue eyes immediately landed on a girl with long dark hair and indigo eyes. She was straddling the seat of the desk in front of him and slouched over the back rest; her customary 'water' bottle clutched loosely in her hand. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed that her cheeks weren't as pink from inebriation as they usually were at this time of day.

"Sorry Cana," He chuckled weakly, "Was a little lost in thought."

Cana Alberona rolled her eyes dramatically and took a swig of her drink,

"You don't need to apologize to me, but you have to know that you owe me a slice of pizza now that you made me stay in class later than I ever wanted to."

The raven rubbed the back of his head and chuckled weakly,

"Whatever you say Cana…whatever you say."

He got up from his desk and grabbed the backpack he had draped over his seat. He put it on his shoulder and headed towards the doorway, Cana's strangely sober steps following behind him. The pair walked in silence as they walked down the empty halls of Fairy Tail University; the sound of their feet bouncing off the quiet walls. However, seeing how Cana Alberona was walking beside him, he had to know that the silence wouldn't last very long.

"So," She began; a curious lilt to her voice, "What were you so deep in thought about? The only thing on your mind _should have _been the not-so-surprise birthday bash that we're having tonight to celebrate your nineteenth birthday and even though you're not looking forward to going, it wouldn't have caused such a dark aura to pulsate around you like it was."

Gray rolled his eyes,

"Cana, according to you my 'aura' is always dark; you said it was the reason why you were so drawn to me."

"Don't avoid the question Gray Fullbuster," She clicked her tongue, "I've known you for almost twelve years now so I also know that that pinched face you had earlier had something to do with Lyon, your mom, Ultear or all of the above."

He scowled darkly and continued to stare ahead of himself; he really hated how perceptive she could be. He could feel her eyes burning holes into the side of his head, but he could care less about it; Cana was intimidating, but not that intimidating. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes and shrugged his shoulders vaguely.

"It doesn't matter what I was thinking about; it wasn't that important."

She folded her arms across her chest,

"So then it won't stop you from at least pretending that you're going to have a good time tonight?"

"Cana," He sighed loudly as they exited the school building, "I told you that I didn't want to go in the first place; you know I hate my birthday."

The brunette raised an unimpressed eyebrow,

"Yeah, you may have mentioned it, but you never told me _why_ you hated it."

And there lies the center of the problem.

He didn't know why he hated his birthday…he just did. He would honestly wake up in the morning with a dark whirling pit settling into the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling that it had something to do with the recurring nightmares (that he couldn't remember) that happened the night before his birthday, without fail, every single year. What used to confuse him even more was that Ultear and Lyon would be more depressed than usual on his birthday and Ur would often look at him with pity in her eyes.

Gray growled under his breath in annoyance and tried to purposefully lose his derailing train of thought. He glanced over at the brunette walking by his side and frowned. Ever since he had known her, she had tried to pry into his life and figure out the 'mysterious aura of Gray Fullbuster'. When he was younger, he didn't have a problem with it because it made her happy, but now it only served to remind him that he knew just as much about his own life and past as she did.

"Gray," She huffed; causing him to turn his attention to her once more, "Don't ignore me; I'm sorry I asked, okay?"

He knew she wasn't actually sorry.

"If I go to this stupid party," He closed his eyes in defeat, "Will you promise not to throw me another party ever again?"

As if by magic, a smirk instantaneously spread across her face. Before he could stop her, her hand latched onto his forearm (with a surprisingly tight grip) and started to drag him out of the main building of the university. He hung his head in silent agony; what did he just get himself into? Suddenly, a chill travelled down his spine forcing him to stop walking, causing Cana to nearly trip over her own feet and face-plant onto the pavement.

"Gray!" She growled impatiently, "What the hell was that for?!"

"I…"

He didn't know how to explain it to her without sounding crazy; it felt like he was being watched. The strange thing was, he wasn't as freaked out as he should be; in fact, the reason he stopped was for something else entirely. For as soon as the chill disappeared, it was replaced by a comforting heat blooming in the center of his chest. He subconsciously gripped the front of his shirt right over his heart and glanced around himself slowly.

"Gray?" He turned towards Cana at the note of concern in her voice, "Are you alright?"

"I…" He gulped softly and slowly released his shirt, "Yeah…I'm fine."

She looked as if she was going to try and push it further, but he quickly grabbed her hand and started to pull her towards the parking lot once more. She was oddly silent the entire way to her vehicle, but he simply chalked it up to the fact that she was either weird-ed out by him or simply thinking up ways to get him positively hammered.

If he'd had to take a guess, he'd have to say that chances are the answer was all of the above.

FTFTFTFT

Lightning flashed across the obsidian sky as thunder hastily followed it; rain was falling heavily upon the once living forest. Animals no longer thrived there and the trees have long since died starting when the ominous presence first found the place. Sitting in the center of the clearing was a man with hair as dark as the sky above him and eyes as red as the blood of the innocent people he spilt. The last fourteen years had been nothing short of a massacre in the Demon Plain and he had to say that it was the best thirteen years of his life.

After killing the last surviving Demon Slayer, there was no one else left to stop him. He continued to resurrect lost demons left and right allowing them to have free reign amongst Earthland once more; he had never experienced something more euphoric. Not only had the sacred city of Isvan been destroyed, but Edolas, Extalia, and many other places were eradicated soon after. A frown tugged heavily on his lips; somehow the Dragon spawn had managed to escape the massacre along with a few of the Exceeds and that was something that did not sit right with him.

They had to be up to something.

He glanced up at the crying and sky and tried to suppress his uncalled for anxiety. There was no use in worrying about something that wouldn't be a threat to him and his mate. The fact of the matter was, without a Demon Slayer he and his precious Acnologia could not be defeated; the world would finally be theirs. This time, puny little Demon Slayers like Mavis Vermillion and Silver Fullbuster wouldn't be there to save the day and that was just glorifying.

Now the only thing that would make this day even better was if his beloved would return home to him.

"Zeref-sama!"

The dark haired demon rolled his eyes before turning towards the source of the call lazily. Walking towards him, with purpose in every step he took, was none other than Purehito Geborugu; now commonly known to the world as the corrupt Demon Slayer, Hades. There is no doubt that Hades had the strength to destroy all plans that he held dear, but the man's heart was so darkened by his hatred of the very clan he was born into that it was easy to manipulate the weakling into the palm of his hand.

"What is it Hades?" He yawned and closed his eyes, "There had better be a good reason why you're interrupting me when I clearly said that I wanted to be left alone."

The tall, silver haired man bowed to him reverently,

"I apologize for the interruption Zeref-sama, but I thought that the Intel I received was of upmost importance."

"And what would that be?"

A few moments of silence passed causing a scowl to appear on Zeref's pale face. He angrily opened his eyes, prepared to reprimand Hades for wasting his time when he saw the look of utter disbelief, anger and _fear_ on his slightly wrinkled visage. Zeref felt his magic swirl within him as his anxiety started to rear its ugly head.

"Hades," He spat furiously, "Tell me what you have found or you shall feel the full wrath of my Death magic."

"I apologize again Zeref-sama," He muttered tersely, "It's just that what I'm about to tell you won't be easy for you to hear."

The dark haired demon clenched his fists at his sides,

"Did something happen to Acnologia?"

If possible, Hades paled even further; shaking his head adamantly back and forth,

"No, but I do regret to inform you that an Ice Demon Slayer still lives."

Whatever he had been expecting hear, he had to firmly say that _that_ wasn't even close to the top of his list. How could that even be possible? He had used any means necessary not only to kill the bastard of a Demon Slayer (even kicked his rotting corpse), but he also severed the ties to the Hunter Clan and the Dragon Demons preventing the stupid 'ice and sun' part of the prophecy from coming to fruition.

"Do you somehow find this amusing?" He growled, "Do you wish to bring about my anger?"

"Of course not my lord!" Hades bowed his head, "But I have a reason to believe my Intel; Cobra _heard_ it himself and you mustn't forget that he used to have deep bonds with the Dragon Clan before he betrayed them. If anyone would know about this, he would Zeref-sama."

Zeref clenched his teeth tightly,

"Is Cobra here, Hades? If so, I demand that I speak with him immediately."

"I'll bring him to you straight away."

Without another word, the silver haired man turned on his heel and made his way to the boundaries of the forest. Zeref watched his retreating back; anger and loathing rolling off of him in waves. Throwing caution to the wind, the self-proclaimed King of Demons whipped his arm out towards a nearby husk of a tree sending a wave of dark energy rocketing towards it. In the blink of an eye, the decrepit bark that was once remained on the dead life form disappeared into oblivion; it was as if the tree had never existed.

Before he could lose his temper even further, he heard Hades returning from the edge of the forest; a new set of footsteps accompanying him. Zeref couldn't help but feel pleased despite the situation, after all, Erik…no…Cobra had come so far in the past fourteen years. His poison dragon demon abilities had become next to unbeatable and his blackened soul, if possible, has even started to become as black as Zeref's own.

"Cobra," He addressed the russet haired demon, "Is the information you brought to Master Hades true? There is absolutely no margin for error; we cannot afford to make mistakes."

The poison dragon demon's onyx eyes sharpened,

"I wouldn't come to you unless I knew what I heard was in fact true; I would never wish to anger you Zeref-sama."

The dark haired demon pursed his lips,

"Then what is the news you have brought me?"

Cobra stared at Zeref stoically for a moment before he spoke,

"Before I tell you anything my lord, I have a very important question that I have to ask you."

Zeref growled impatiently,

"And what would that be dragonling?"

The russet haired dragon stayed resolutely silent once again incurring the King of Demon's boiling wrath. Just as he was about to punish the dragonling for his insolence, Cobra had opened his mouth to speak.

"Zeref-sama," He stated seriously, "Were you aware that Silver Fullbuster had an heir?"

The dark haired demon froze; his non-existent heart almost exploding from distress,

"What are you talking about?"

Cobra sighed,

"Silver Fullbuster had a son named Gray who managed to survive the attack on Isvan that night; in fact, he along with a handful of hunters were the only survivors of the destruction."

Zeref's eyes narrowed,

"Simply because this bastard of a child survived doesn't mean that he had inherited his father's gifts."

"That may be true, but excuse me when I say this, my lord, for it will anger you greatly." Cobra uncharacteristically pleaded.

"What about this irrelevant child could possibly anger me?" He demanded haughtily.

The russet haired demon's onyx eyes burned deeply into his blood red,

"Not only _did_ Gray inherit the powers of the Demon Slayer line, but he is also the mate of the Dragon Demon Prince, Natsu Dragneel."

_**Two Clans must unite as One  
Joining the power of Ice and Sun**_

How could he be such a fool?! How could he miss something as important as a direct blood relation?! He felt the two demons shift fearfully near him, but he didn't pay them any mind; he, after all, had a mess to clean up. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in an effort to rein in his fluctuating Death magic; the last thing he needed was to accidently kill his foolish subordinates…

They haven't lost their usefulness yet.

When he had felt his magic finally calm down, he opened his eyes and stared darkly at Hades and Cobra in turn. It seemed that he would have to call in the rest of his 'team' in order to remove the blemish that had arisen. He focused his attention on the silver haired man and glowered at him from underneath hooded eyelids.

"Hades," He ordered, "Round up the rest of the soldiers; it looks as if we'll be marching into battle sooner than expected."

"Of course Zeref-sama," He bowed obediently, "Right away."

As Hades made his way towards their place of residence, Zeref glanced over at the poison dragon demon. He knew that Cobra could not read his mind (for his was so much more inferior), but sometimes he thought the brat knew more than he let on. He stared evenly at the dragonling in silence before finely addressing.

"Before I send you on your mission, I want to know if Natsu Dragneel is still protecting that bastard of a demon slayer."

Cobra shook his head immediately,

"No Zeref-sama; in fact, Natsu Dragneel has been absent from Gray's life since your precious Deliora destroyed the village of Brago twelve years ago."

The dark haired demon raised his eyebrow curiously,

"Now why would he do that? Isn't it painful for a Dragon to be separated from his mate for such a long period of time?"

"Yes, but in this case Dragneel had choice in the matter." Cobra smirked, "He can't really do much when Gray no longer remembers anything about this world."

The corner of Zeref's lip twitched in amusement,

"Care to explain how that happened?"

"I'll be more than happy to my lord," He nodded, "But first, I would like to ask you about the mission you have for me in this assassination."

"Oh it's quite simple really," Zeref grinned maniacally, "You're going to lead Deliora to the Demon Slayer; after all, it would only be fitting that Gray Fullbuster is killed by the same demon that murdered his father."

FTFTFTFT

He was right… he completed regretted letting Cana drag him to this shit-fest…

Even if it was supposed to be _his _shit-fest…

Gray huffed under his breath and leaned his head on his arms with his red solo cup dangling loosely from his hand. He was never one for crowds to begin with, but this was just ridiculous; he honestly thought that he didn't know half the people at this stupid thing. From where he was sitting, he could see Cana talking to Bacchus at the bar; her shirt (unsurprisingly) gone and lounging across the counter in nothing but her bra and capris.

And she bugged him about his stripping habit.

He rolled his eyes briefly and took a large swig out of his Long Island Iced Tea; even if he hated the party, he had to admit that the alcohol was spot on. Of course, who better to pick the alcohol than Magnolia Town's resident alcoholic? Despite his complaining about her, a small part of him was happy Cana was with Bacchus; those two had been flirting for _ages_. Honestly, he thought the next two Ice Ages would come before they pulled their heads out of their asses and dated already.

He laughed quietly to himself as he went to take another drink when he realized the he had none left. He frowned at the empty cup before getting to his feet (although slightly off-kilter at first) and made his way towards the bar to get himself a refill. He sat his cup on the bar and waved his hand at Kinana to let her know that he needed another drink. The shy girl nodded at him shyly and held up her finger telling him that she'd be there in one minute. He nodded at her in acknowledgement and waited for her to be free.

"Fullbuster, you are honestly the most depressing birthday boy ever."

Gray scowled and stared at Cana as she and Bacchus took the two seats to his right,

"Yeah, well you already knew this when you planned the damn thing."

The brunette snorted,

"That's true…aren't you getting another drink?"

The raven nodded his head and tilted it towards Kinana to show that he was waiting for her to finish with the other customers. When Gray looked back at Cana he noticed that her 'impatient drunk face' was on. Before she could yell at the poor barmaid, he quickly grabbed onto her arm and pulled her away from the bar; he could always get another drink later.

"Oh c'mon Gray," She pouted playfully, "You're the birthday boy, you shouldn't have to wait for your drink!"

The chuckled and flicked her forehead,

"Well I can't let you make a fool of yourself now can I? It would just ruin my sparkling reputation."

Cana scoffed and chugged the rest of her rum,

"What reputation?"

He laughed loudly and was about to retort when he suddenly saw a shock of pink hair; all words dying at the tip of his tongue. Strangely enough, the spot on his chest seemed to heat up again like earlier; what the hell was going on with him lately? He could hear Cana trying to grab his attention in the background, but he was solely focused on the pink hair heading towards the exit. Without saying a word to his friend, he started to push his way through the crowd until he managed to burst out the front doors and into the paved parking lot.

When he got outside, he started looking for pink hair (after all it should stand out, not just anyone had pink hair!), but found that whoever it was seemed to vanish into thin air. His chest was still burning slightly so he _knew_ the pink haired figure had to be around somewhere; he didn't know how it was possible, he just knew that it was.

"Gray!" Cana shouted as she burst out of the bar, "You can't just run off like that!"

The raven blinked at her in confusion,

"Why? It never seemed to bother you before."

Her eyes widened at his statement causing him to narrow his eyes suspiciously. He opened his mouth to ask her what the hell her problem was when a loud, soul-wrenching roar echoed throughout the town of Magnolia. Gray's heart started racing in his chest and he felt his hands get clammy; he didn't know what that sound was, but it made something deep inside of him crack…he felt…_fear_.

"Gray," Cana whispered tensely, "We have to get out of here, now."

"What…what was that?"

"Gray, did you hear me?" She demanded, "We have to grab Bacchus and get the fuck out of here!"

He stared at her in complete confusion; he didn't know what the hell she was talking about, but he did recognize the pure look of anguish on her face. Suddenly, the earth rumbled underneath his feet; his first instinct told him that it was an Earthquake, but he was quickly proved wrong. Standing before him was nothing less than a monster; he stood at over fifty feet tall, with blue scale-like skin and bird-like feet with a tail that reminded him of a lizard dragging behind it.

Entire houses were being destroyed in its wake…

The worst part was…

He recognized it.

It was the monster that haunted his nightmares; now that it was standing in front of him he could remember the dreams that have plagued him for the past thirteen years. His parents' voices seemed to be louder than ever; it was as if they were standing right beside him…warning him and apologizing to him and he didn't know why.

But most of all, he remembered how Ur truly died…

She was protecting him from this thing…

"_Gray…"_

He could hear her voice…

"_I'll seal you from your darkness…"_

There was so much pain…so many tears…so many fears…heat…so much heat…they were all burning. Everything was burning. There was going to be nothing left. His home was going to be destroyed before his eyes and he wouldn't even know it…he wouldn't even remember it…

He felt so cold…

So cold…but it was so familiar…

The cold was his home…but strangely enough…so was the heat…

Especially the smell of campfire…with pink hair and green eyes…

THAT was his home…and he forgot all about it…

"GRAY!"

His head slowly turned towards the source of the voice; a familiar stranger with a body engulfed in flames. Even from where he was he could see scales spreading across his face and extremities. He slowly raised his hand in an attempt to reach the figure; the subtle burning in his chest saving him from being swallowed by the cold…

"'Tsu?"

And everything went black.

TBC

**Hey Minna! So sorry for the late update on this story, but school is happening atm and things are getting hectic! Also I hope this chapter is okay and not too confusing (especially with the whole time-skip thing)! And I also apologize for making Gray, Cana, Zeref, Cobra and Hades very much OOC, hopefully it doesn't bug you too much! Waiting on your lovely reviews! :)**

**-sktrgrl**

**AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIEWS, FAVOURITES, AND FOLLOWS! If it wasn't for you guys this story (plus others) just wouldn't exist so thank you so much for your support! XD **


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